Police chief, other staffers lose "interim" titles

Police chief, other staffers lose "interim" titles

A trio of top city staffers earned a little more job security Tuesday as City Manager John Russo erased the "interim" label from their titles.

Russo appointed Interim Police Chief Paul Rolleri, Interim Community Development Director Debbie Potter and Interim Public Works Director Robert G. Haun permanently to those positions Tuesday and moved a fourth person, Assistant City Attorney Stephanie Garrabrant-Sierra, into a new role as administrative services director.

A city-issued press release offered no explanation for the timing of the changes.

Rolleri stepped in as interim police chief in June, after then-Chief Mike Noonan retired. A onetime investigator for the state department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the 50-year-old Alameda native and father of two has served in multiple roles as he rose through the ranks during 21 years in the Alameda Police Department.

Potter took over the city's community development department in April, when its former director, Lori Taylor, departed for a similar job in Hayward. Potter, has worked for the city for more than a dozen years, overseeing reuse efforts at Alameda Point, development of Bayport and Alameda Landing and affordable housing development - which had been virtually nonexistent prior to her arrival. Prior to coming to Alameda, she served as redevelopment administrator for the City of San Leandro. Potter is a graduate of the University at California, Irvine who also holds a master's degree in urban planning from the University at California, Los Angeles.

Haun, who stepped in as interim public works director in July after longtime director Matt Naclerio went on a leave of absence, has also served the city since 1992, most recently as director of facilities for the Alameda Housing Authority. He has been credited with successfully managing construction of the new Main Library, delivering the building on-time and under-budget despite a steel shortage. Prior to joining the city, Haun worked for a quarter century in the private sector, as a general contractor and facilities manager for a banking institution.

Garrabrant-Sierra joined the City Attorney's office in June 2012, bringing 25 years' experience practicing labor, employment, public contracting and business law. She began her career as a litigator for Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and has worked for the Legal Aid Society of Alameda County and the City of Oakland, where she oversaw contract negotiations citywide; most recently she managed construction contracts for the State of Texas, and operated a private law office in Austin specializing in small business and construction law. The new role, created by Russo as part of a restructuring effort, will put her in charge of the human resources and information technology departments, procurement and contract compliance, and she will also be charged with providing coordinated oversight of internal services, resources and operations.

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